CSC Media Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Chart Show Channels |
| Founded | May 20, 2002 |
| Defunct | November 27, 2019 |
| Fate | Liquidated following acquisition by Sony Pictures Television |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Owner | Sony Pictures Television (from 2014) |
CSC Media Group Limited, previously known as Chart Show Channels (CSC), was a UK-based cable television and broadcasting enterprise that operated from 20 May 2002 until its closure by parent company Sony Pictures Television on 27 November 2019.
Background
Taking its name from the British music program The Chart Show, CSC originated from the Chart Show production firm Video Visuals before transitioning into Chart Show Channels. In 2007, the company was acquired by the private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson. Prior to being purchased by Sony, CSC managed 16 free-to-air channels supported by advertising revenue.
History
Established on 20 May 2002, CSC debuted its initial channel, Chart Show TV, on Sky in September of the same year, quickly achieving substantial audience numbers. Soon after, it introduced Chart Shop TV, a shopping-oriented channel broadcasting during non-peak hours. In 2003, Chart Shop TV was discontinued and replaced by Video Vault, which eventually rebranded as The Vault and expanded to a full 24-hour schedule.
The children’s channel Pop launched in mid-2003, followed by its companion channel Pop Plus and the preschool-focused Tiny Pop. CSC broadened its portfolio in 2006 by acquiring three music channels—Bliss, Scuzz, and Flaunt—from British Sky Broadcasting and converting them to free-to-air services.
In 2007, CSC introduced five new channels, including timeshift variants Pop +1 and Tiny Pop +1; the girls’ children’s channel Pop Girl; the anime-centric AnimeCentral; and Minx, which was later replaced by the indie music channel NME TV. The B4 channel was rebranded as Flava in 2008 alongside a transition to widescreen broadcasting. That year also saw the launch of timeshift versions Flaunt +1, Bliss +1, and Scuzz +1 (subsequently closed), as well as Kix!, a children’s channel aimed at boys featuring cartoons and extreme sports content.
CSC held a majority stake in Moving Movies Ltd, which launched True Movies 1 in 2005 and True Movies 2 in 2006—both channels specializing in made-for-television films based on real-life stories.
In May 2012, CSC unveiled BuzMuzik, a music channel emphasizing interaction via mobile devices and social media platforms. Early in 2013, True Entertainment +1 was launched but later replaced by True Drama. After acquiring Starz TV in late 2013 following Mushroom TV’s collapse, CSC ceased BuzMuzik operations to make room for Starz TV.
On 26 June 2014, Sony Pictures Television announced its intention to purchase CSC along with its portfolio of 16 channels for £107 million ($180 million), with the transaction completing in August. Following this acquisition, CSC became inactive as its channels were integrated into Sony’s operations.
By December 2018, four remaining music channels were sold to TRACE Group. The liquidation of CSC Media Group occurred on 27 November 2019.
As of 2025, only Tiny Pop, Tiny Pop +1, Pop, and Pop +1 continue broadcasting; Pop Max has shifted to a digital-only platform while all other channels have ceased functioning.
Former (Sold to Sony and then Narrative Capital)
| channel name | launch date |
|---|---|
| Pop | 2003/05/29 |
| Pop +1 | 2014/07/14 |
| Tiny Pop | 2004/07/27 |
| Tiny Pop +1 | 2007 |
Defunct
Note: Channels highlighted in light red ceased operations prior to Sony's acquisition.
| Channel Name | Launch Date | Closure Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Amp | 2003/04/17 | 2006/03/02 | Succeeded by Bliss |
| AnimeCentral | 2007/09/13 | 2008/08/27 | Replaced by Showcase TV |
| Kix | 2008/05/19 | 2017/08/30 | Transitioned to Pop Max |
| Pop Max | 2017/08/30 | 2025/04/22 | Eventually sold and discontinued |
| Pop Max +1 | 2017/08/30 | 2025/04/22 | Sold and later closed |
| Bliss | 2006/03/02 | 2015/11/27 | |
| Bliss +1 | 2008/05/12 | 2008/06/02 | Enabled 24-hour AnimeCentral broadcasting |
| BuzMuzik | 2012/05/30 | 2014/04/03 | Closed after CSC acquired Starz TV due to content overlap |
| Chart Shop TV | 2002/10/06 | 2003/03 | Supplanted by The Vault |
| Chart Show TV +1 | 2012/01/05 | 2012/05/30 | Replaced by BuzMuzik |
| Flaunt | 2003/04/17 | 2010/03/17 | Succeeded by Dance Nation TV |
| Dance Nation TV | 2010/03/17 | 2013/01/03 | Replaced by Chart Show Dance |
| Flaunt +1 | 2008/05/06 | 2008/06/04 | Supplanted by Pop Girl +1 |
| Flava | 2004/07/12 | 2017/11/01 | |
| MinX | 2007/10/08 | 2007/11/22 | Succeeded by NME TV |
| NME TV | 2007/11/22 | 2012/01/05 | Replaced by Chart Show TV +1 |
| Pop +1 | 2007/08/06 | 2008/05/18 | Replaced by Kix (which returned in 2014) |
| Pop Girl | 2007/08/06 | 2015/10/01 | Succeeded by Kix +1 |
| Pop Girl +1 | 2008/06/04 | 2013/07/22 | Supplanted by Kix Power |
| Pop Plus | 2003/09/08 | 2004/07/27 | Replaced by Tiny Pop |
| Scuzz | 2003/04/17 | 2018/11//15 | |
| Scuzz +1 | 2008//11//17 | 2008//11//21 | Sky EPG slot sold to NHK World |
| Showcase TV | 2008//08//27 | 2009//08//03 | Replaced by True Entertainment |
| Starz TV | 2005//01//24 | 2020//06//01 | Sold to Trace Group, ceased operations in 2020 |
| Trace Hits | 2002//10//16 | 2023//04//27 | Sold to Trace Group; rebranded prior to closure |
| Trace Latina | 2010//03//17 | 2020//06//01 | Sold to Trace Group; formerly Chart Show Hits |
| Trace Vault | 2003//03//12 | 2023//12//14 | Sold to Trace Group; originally The Vault |
| True Crime | 2016//03//22 | 2018//02//06 | Replaced by Sony Crime Channel 2 |
| True Crime +1 | 2016//03//22 | 2017//02//15 | Sky EPG slot acquired by TruTV |
| True Drama | 2013//06//04 | 2016//09//30 | Supplanted by True Entertainment +1 |
| True Entertainment | 2009//08//02 | 2019//09//10 | Replaced by Sony Channel |
| True Entertainment +1 | 2013//02//25 | 2013//06//04 | Replaced by True Drama (which returned in 2014) |
| True Entertainment +1 | 2014//04//03 | 2015//08//17 | EPG slot sold to AMC from BT (returned in 2016) |
| True Entertainment +1 | 2016//09//30 | 2019//09//10 | Supplanted by Sony Channel +1 |
| True Movies | 2005//04//29 | 2019//09//10 | Replaced by Sony Movies Christmas |
| True Movies 2 | 2006//03//20 | 2016//09//30 | Replaced by True Christmas +1 |
References
- Articles with short description
- CSC Media Group
- 2002 establishments in England
- 2019 disestablishments in England
- British companies established in 2002
- British companies disestablished in 2019
- Mass media companies based in London
- Mass media companies established in 2006
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2019
- Sony Pictures Television
- Former Sony subsidiaries
- 2014 mergers and acquisitions
- British subsidiaries of foreign companies